Because the banquet will be in one of the hangars at the former Chase Field — the site of a national unmanned aerial vehicle-testing program — the theme of the event will probably center around aviation.

“By coincidence,” Arnold says, “Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is speaking to the Bee Development Authority about its drone program on Sept. 17. That’s 10 days before the banquet.”

Adhering to the proposed aviation theme, Arnold says, “This is the quality of program and information that we want to bring forward in the future. Our hope is that this indicates the chamber is taking a new flight path, a new direction.”

The chamber is accepting bids on catering the banquet on what Arnold says will be a “fairly informal, casual dress-and-food” affair.

In addition to Cornyn’s address, the banquet agenda includes music, a State of the Chamber address and recognition of the Citizen of the Year, Business of the Year and presenting the chamber’s Lifetime Achievement award.